Flexible, Stretchable, and Distributed Strain Sensors

A thin film sensor comprising:

• a thin film polymer matrix having two electrical terminals;
• conductive nanoparticles dispersed within the thin film polymer matrix;
• and
• carbon nanotubes dispersed within the thin film polymer matrix, wherein the thin film sensor has a resistivity across the two electrical terminals that varies with a magnitude of strain applied to the thin film sensor.

A method for sensing strain comprising:

• applying a voltage to a flexible thin film strain sensor that is applied to a sensing area, wherein the flexible thin film strain sensor comprises an electrically resistant material, conductive nanoparticles dispersed substantially throughout the electrically resistant material, and conductive nano-structures dispersed substantially throughout the electrically resistant material, wherein the flexible thin film strain sensor has a resistivity that varies with a magnitude of strain applied to the thin film sensor, and wherein a strain is present across the sensing area;
• detecting an electrical response of the flexible thin film strain sensor in response to the strain present across the sensing area;
• and
• determining a magnitude of the strain based on the electrical response.